housing development should manage well these conflicts of values so that compliance is guaranteed.
The problem with conflict of values among stakeholders is that environmental policy involves many other policies. It interacts with policies on land, water, health, road and transport, etc. Whyte (1995: 23) argues that the result of “fragmentation of environmental policy is that it cannot be effectively demarcated to its own domain. It touches on all other areas of policy and public administration”. There was a serious concern of how the municipality would try and involve all other players who were not involved when Ambleton low-cost housing development was designed. Political will must be mobilized to ensure that there is concern for the environment. The DoH needs to abide by the NEMA even if it results in building only half of what they are presently providing. Speed will not solve the housing backlog in the near future. Kingdon (1995) recognises the challenge of the number of participants whose preferences have to be taken into account during the process of policy implementation.
The above section explored at a great length the research findings, data analysis and the researcher’s interpretations. The discussions centred around four themes that are being assessed in light of the challenges of implementing environmental policy requirements in low-cost housing. In the following section, the lessons learnt in the previous chapters and parts of this research will be explored and a stronger implementation system will be proposed. The stronger implementation system builds on what was suggested by respondents on best practices. It also seeks to fill the gaps that have been identified in assessing the challenges of implementing environmental policy requirements in low-cost housing.
help: to increase the stakeholders’ understanding of environmental management policy requirements in Housing Policy and NEMA, to strengthen the institutional capacity, to effectively implement EIAs, and to foster strong coordination and cooperation.
I strongly believe that successful implementation of environmental management policy requirements in low-cost housing must take into account the attitudes of people, resources, constant learning, and institutional capacity. It is therefore imperative to do this kind of research to identify gaps. I suggest that there should be learning from experience by all the stakeholders. It requires learning from past experience with low- cost housing development and improving where there are shortcomings. Compliance with housing and environmental policy is very important in that government can make sure the housing development takes care of the environment. One of the critical aspects of environmental policy is to follow EIA and enforce environmental monitoring and audit.
Though EIA requires funding and technical skills that are challenges for the municipality, it offers positive results for present and future generations.
The Housing Policy should also make explicit, in its environmental section, what the environmental requirements are. This would make stakeholders aware of the process and the content of environmental requirements. The second implication is that environmental issues in low-cost housing can form an integral part of housing development instead of being regarded as someone else’s problem.
There is a need to learn to plan together, implement together, and monitor and evaluate together. Kingdon (1995) maintains that it is absolutely essential for all policy community to actively participate in order to achieve a successful implementation of a policy,. Forging strong cooperation and coordination will contribute to solving most of challenges of implementing environmental management policy requirements in low-cost housing. It requires skills and capacity to establish networks and integration where departments and the municipality could work together to solve potential problems. As Kingdon (1995) pointed out there should be a harmony between policies rather than
budgets, and signing a memorandum of understanding where applicable. It involves understanding one another and learning from one another as all seek better lives for the people of today and the future.
Discussion follows of five critical areas proposed which may result in a stronger implementation system that would reduce the challenges of implementing environmental policy requirements of housing policy and NEMA.
4.5.1. Increase of Stakeholders’ Understanding of Environmental Policy Requirements
The process of learning should begin with the understanding of NEMA and environmental policy requirements and should do away with uncertainties of how the policies should be applied when providing low-cost housing. The process should be participative and educative in such a way that policy guidelines, procedures, and checklists are clear, and owned by stakeholders. This step would also help with environmental compliance where EIAs and EMPs are timely and genuine for low-cost housing development. Kim (2004: 34) argues that “operational learning represents learning at the procedural level, where one learns the steps in order to complete a particular task.”
4.5.2. Institutional Capacity Strengthening
The second critical area is to improve institutional capacity building which would enable provincial and local government departments and partners to effectively implement environmental management policy requirements in low-cost housing. Institutional capacity includes knowledge and skills in the different areas of environmental assessment, planning, implementation, and monitoring/audit. All these would make stakeholders play their roles well as Kim (2004) indicates that when the base of shared meaning in an organization expands, it increases the organization’s capacity for effective policy implementation. It would be ideal to have stakeholders with similar environmental
values and that can have a positive impact on the environment in low-cost housing. There is a need in institutional capacity to constantly manage changes in the process of implementing environmental policy requirements.
4.5.3. Effective Implementation of EIA
Environmental compliance is an area of concern and a stronger implementation system requires environmental law enforcement. This implies an effective implementation of EIA. The Msunduzi Municipality has not done any major review at Ambleton according to Respondent 4. However, it is important to constantly monitor and audit low-cost housing projects and assess the state of the environment. Respondent 3 admitted that the Msunduzi Municipality does not have proper monitoring systems in place. He said that he is still waiting for an environmental policy that will guide or appraise the environmental activities.
4.5.4. Strong Coordination and Cooperation
The interorganizational context in which the implementation of environmental management policy requirements takes place calls for effective coordination and cooperation. Kim (2004: 45) believes that “very decentralised organisations that do not have the networking capabilities to keep the parts connected are also susceptible to fragmented learning.” The Environmental Health Officer highlighted that for him the cost of environmental issues in low-cost housing in South Africa can be reduced by a better coordination and cooperation which can to some extent improve environmental conditions in low-cost housing. The coordination in this sense would reduce duplication of efforts among stakeholders and cooperation would increase participation of all partners in the implementation of environmental policy requirements.
4.5.5. Mobilization of the Community for Environmental Management
There is a need to mobilize and sensitize the community, especially beneficiaries to enhance their financial and other contributions in the implementation of environmental policy requirements. Public education and participation should also include politicians who have influence in budget allocation. The effort would seek to win their understanding and political will on environmental issues in low-cost housing. This can be achieved through showing them the economic value of the environment, and the health benefits for the community. This can be done through workshops, writing pamphlets, and research.